Wanting Something More. Kathy Love

      ZEBRA BOOKS

       Kensington Publishing Corp.

       www.kensingtonbooks.com

      For Darrell, Gerry, Teresa and Cindy.

      ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

      As always, thank you to the Tarts.

       With a special thanks to Lisa for the perfect suggestion.

      Thank you to the babysitting squad,

      Mom and Dad,

      Bill and Mary Ellen,

       Teresa, Gary and Megan.

       Emily and I really, really appreciate your help.

      Thank you Julie, Treena and David.

      Everyone needs friends, and I got the best.

      Thank you to the gals of the Underground, especially

      Starr, Joanne, Steph, Lois, Kari, Viv, Judy, Diane, Deb, Lee,

       TK, Stephanie, Cindy, and Anne.

       You are the best and you have excellent taste!

      Thank you Rog—you were the perfect muse.

      And finally thank you to Todd and Em.

      I love you.

      Prologue

      “I don’t know how you ever convinced me to do this,” Abby muttered.

      Marty ignored her sister, mesmerized by the magical scene before her. The swaying shadows, the flashes of colored lights, the laughter and excited voices mingling over the flood of pulsating melodies. It was more than magical, it was thrilling.

      Still, the laughter and music couldn’t drown out Abby’s exasperated sigh.

      Marty glanced at her oldest sister.

      Abby stood with her arms crossed tightly over her chest. Unrestrained disdain narrowed her eyes as she peered into the room. She obviously didn’t see one ounce of enchantment. But then again, Abby wouldn’t. She was far too serious to enjoy something as silly as a school dance.

      But Marty knew it wasn’t silly. Not this dance. Not this night. This was a place where fantasies could come true. A place where her fantasies were going to come true. She knew it.

      “You should have made Ellie come with you.” Abby stepped away from the cafeteria’s double doors as if she planned to walk back down the school hallway to the exit.

      Abby knew full well that Marty had begged Ellie to come with her. Their shy middle sister had been Marty’s first choice because she believed in love at first sight and fairy tales. But Ellie had adamantly refused. She was much happier at home, lost in her romance novels, than in the real world.

      Marty glanced back at the crowd swaying slowly around and around in tight circles and debated letting Abby leave. She couldn’t. She couldn’t do this alone. She was too nervous—too scared. Who knew facing happily ever after could be so frightening?

      “Just stay for a few minutes,” she pleaded. “If it’s really that terrible, then we can go.”

      Abby hesitated and nodded. “Okay, but I have no idea why this is so important to you.”

      And Marty had no intention of telling her, either. Abby was just here for support. She didn’t need to know the details. She wouldn’t approve of Marty coming to meet a boy. But Nathaniel Peck was more than just a boy. Nathaniel was perfect. He was kind. He was a junior and he liked her.

      Marty turned back to the school-cafeteria-turned-disco, took a deep breath, and stepped through the double doors.

      She tried to appear confident as she strode across the room. She didn’t even slouch like she normally did to try and disguise her height. Since she was almost six feet tall, it was futile anyway. But tonight, she didn’t feel embarrassed about her unusual stature. Nathaniel didn’t seem to mind, and he was the only one who really mattered.

      She searched the room and easily located him. At 6' 4", he stood out strikingly. Of course his good looks didn’t hurt, either.

      She watched him as he talked animatedly with a group of his friends. Someone must have said something amusing, because his beautiful, full lips parted into a wide smile.

      Then, as though he could feel someone watching him, his eyes scanned the room until he found her. Their eyes locked for a moment, then he inclined his head just slightly in acknowledgment.

      Marty’s heart raced, but she felt a twinge of disappointment. Why didn’t he come over? Was he as nervous as she was? Was he worried about what his friends would think about the two of them?

      Marty continued to watch him, and as the minutes seemed to turn to hours, she wondered if he’d changed his mind. How could he? He was the one who’d been pursuing her. He’d been the one to strike up a conversation and had continued to do so every Tuesday and Thursday, fifth period, in the back of Mr. Malia’s notoriously lax study hall.

      But if that hadn’t been enough, Nathaniel also kept showing up everywhere that she was. He always appeared in the library when she was there doing her computer assignments. He’d come to her art class to do extra work on the project he was doing in his regular